Since switching to Linux a few weeks ago, my computer has occasionally played two short sounds at seemingly random times—one that rises in pitch and another that falls. They sound somewhat like the notification played when a USB device is connected or removed, but I'm not sure what they actually indicate or how to identify the source. I've tried plugging and unplugging different USB devices, but the sounds don't happen consistently. I also suspect they're system notifications rather than game audio, since isolating my game's sound to headphones didn't include them. I'm using what appears to be Ubuntu with the GNOME desktop, although I'm not completely certain. What are these sounds generally called, and what's the easiest way to find out which application or event is triggering them?
2 Answers
Those are generally called system notifications or notification sounds. Check your desktop’s notification settings, where you can usually disable notification audio or see which applications are allowed to send alerts. It may be a regular application notification rather than a USB event specifically.
If you have a calendar application installed, check for overdue events or alarms. Some calendar programs play reminder sounds when you log in or when a scheduled event has already passed, which can make the alert seem random.
That sounds promising. If it happens again, I’ll check the notification settings and look for recently triggered applications.